Method for constructing a building simultaneously below and above ground level



July 29, 1969 P. LE CLERCQ METHOD FOR GONSTRUCTING A BUILDINGSIMULTANEOUSLY BELOW AND ABOVE GROUND LEVEL Filed Jan. 26, 1967 H n n Iall PIERRE Ls Czskcq BY I I I RNEY I NVEN'T OR United States Patent U.S.Cl. 52-742 1 Claim ABSTRACT OF THE DISCLOSURE A building is constructedby sinking shafts from initial ground level, positioning posts in theshafts, embedding the posts in concrete below the final excavation floorlevel prior to general excavation and then constructing the upper andbasement stories concurrently supported by the posts.

The present invention relates to a method for constructing a buildingand more particularly to a method of construction of multistorybuildings simultaneously below and above ground level.

The construction of multistory buildings by conventional methods iscostly and very time-consummg and generally requires the preliminarystep of a substantially complete or even extended initial excavation,than the laying of foundation members and only then the progressiveconstruction of the basement stories followed by the successive upperstories.

It is an object of the present invention to provide a novel method ofconstructing a building which enables the work to proceed more rapidlyand concurrently, thereby reducing the completion time and overall cost.

From one aspect the invention comprises the method of constructing abuilding simultaneously below and above ground level comprising thesteps of sinking shafts in the ground from the initial ground level,positioning posts in said shafts, embedding said posts in concreteserving as foundation below the base level of the excavation floor priorto excavating generally to said base level, said posts being intended tosupport the structure of the upper and basement stories even beforeconstructing any framework.

The method may be performed, for instance, by the preliminary drillingof shafts in the soil from the initial ground level, by positioning ineach of these shafts a prefabricated post, by fixing the base of thispost in concrete up to a level not exceeding the level of the futureexcavation floor, by back-filling if desired with a preferablynon-cohesive filling material, each of the shafts up to the initialground level, these posts being intended to support the structure of theupperand basementstories in general even before constructing the, ifdesired partial, frame.

From another aspect the invention consists in a building constructed bythe method of the invention.

Various features of the invention will be seen from the followingdescription taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawing whichshows, schematically and purely by way of non-limiting example, oneembodiment of the method according to the invention.

Referring now to the drawing, the method is begun by forming shafts 1,round, square, rectangular, as a cross or any other form, from theinitial ground level 2 to a depth 3 greater than the future excavationdepth 7 and so as to reach a soil having suflicient load-carryingstrength. The sinking of these shafts can be done by any possibleprocess, by dry-drilling or with drilling mud, with or without casing,by machine or by hand, etc. In each of the shafts so sunk, there isplaced in position a 3,457,690 Patented July 29, 1969 prefabricatedupright member or post 4 of suitable material such as metal, concrete,wood, synthetic material, etc. The base 5 of this post 4 will descendbelow the future level of the excavation floor 7 and will be embedded inconcrete 6 at most to the level 7 of the future excavation floor. If therisk of buckling is the governing factor, the

post 4 will be surrounded, at the upper part 8 of the column of theshaft with a material preferably noncoherent, such as sand, gravel,etc., to resist this buckling. On the post 4 thus placed in position,there can simultaneously be formed the structure 9 of the upper storiesand the structure 10 of the basement stories. The structure 10 of thebasement stories may if desired serve as shoring for the excavationholding the walls 11 forming the enclosing wall of the excavation. Thestructure 10 is then constructed as the excavation proceeds, followingconventional methods but being supported on the posts 4.

The post 4 may take up the total or partial loads of the structures 9and 10 according to the strength given to its concrete foundation. Inthe case of partial loads, the remainder of the loads may be taken up bya local or general complementary foundation 12, constructed on the floorof the excavation 7.

To make this process .as economical as possible, it is in generaladvantageous to provide light structures 9 and 10, for example metallicstructures. If the under-pressure of water at the bottom 7 of theexcavation is greater than the weight of the light building thusconstructed, a filtering and draining layer may be laid on the bottom ofthe excavation 7, reducing this under-pressure to zero. This filteringlayer may obviously be completed by a provisional or a permanentlowering of the water level.

On the posts 4, all types of structure may be built as a super-structure9 and as .a substructure 10.

The prefabricated post 4 may be effected in all conventional ways. Itmay be effected moreover by the aid of a metallic tube which is filledwith concrete after being placed in position, thus increasing itscarrying capacity. Similarly, if it is a metallic section, it mayafterwards be enclosed in concrete to achieve the same result.

These different methods enable the positioning of a light post, loadedand reinforced subsequently. They are not limiting and all processesconsisting in subsequent reinforcement of the post 4 placed in positionin the shaft 1 may then be applied.

In certain cases, the post 4 may have a provisional character and may beremoved later to be replaced by another load-carrying member constructedfrom the bottom. of the excavation 7.

The essential advantage of the process described consists in being ableto build the superstructure before or at the same time as the basementsubstructure, by means of a simple procedure and at relatively littlecost. There results thereby a substantial gain in time which may bematerialised, is an increased profit to the contractor. This process isof maximum value in the construction of buildings comprising largebasements. In general, according to data obtained, the supplementarycost of the process according to the invention relative to the cost ofconventional methods is distinctly less than the profitability of thetime gained.

It will be apparent that various changes and modifications may be madewithout departing from the essential concept of the invention as definedin scope by the appended claim.

I claim:

1. The method of constructing a multistory building simultaneously belowand above ground level comprising the steps of (1) sinking verticalshafts in the earth from an initial ground level to a base level, (2)positioning and vertically aligning prefabricated metal posts withinsaid shafts, said shafts being of greater size than said posts, (3)embedding the lower ends of said posts in concrete below the ultimatebase level of the excavation floor prior to excavating generally to saidultimate base level, (4) surrounding substantially the entire length ofsaid posts Within said shafts with a non-coherent packing materialdistinct from the adjacent unexcavated earth in Which said shafts aresunk from the ultimate base levelup 10 to the initial ground level tosupport said posts throughout that portion of their length which lieswithin said shafts and thus prevent buckling of the posts due to theload imposed by basement and upper stories as the constructionprogresses, (5) progressively excavating the earth and removing saidearth and said non-coherent Y packing material from said ground level tosaid ultimate metal posts between said ground level and said ultimatebase level, and simultaneously constructing upper stories above saidground level as the construction of said basement stories progresses,whereby said posts support the structure of both said upper and-basementstories.

References Cited STATES PATENTS UNITED 839,151 12/1906 Johnson 524212,166,577 7/1939"'Beckius 52169 2,492,882- 12/1949 Olmsted 52l693,197,964 8/1965 Fehlmann 52-742 FOREIGN PATENTS 940,500- 10/1963Great-Britain.

FRANCIS K. ZUGEL; Primary Examiner Us. c1. X.R.

